Apparatus for smoking and curing foodstuffs



vin. F. GILLlAM July 31, 1945.

4APPARATUS Fon SMOKINGAND CURING FooDsTUFFs Filed April 25, 1942 Vs men-sheet 1 July 31, 1945:.,i Ao.lag)I LIAMl l y 2,380,428 APPARATUS FoR SAMOKING'AB VCURING FooDsTUFS '1 Filed Apri; 2.51, 1942 s gpeetsisheet 2 j i nl Y 'v l can@ C) July 3l, 1945. O. F G ILLIAM y v 2,380,428

APPARATUS FOR SMOKING AND CURING FOODSTUFFS I Filed April 25, 1942 s sheets-'sheet' s Q1-Win..

co6 oaooooooaoaoor INVENTOR rToRNEYs Patented July 31,1945

' APPARATUS Foa SMOKING AND CURING FooDs'rUErs Oliver F. Gilliam; Evanston, Ill., assignor to Niagara Blower Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 25, 1942, Serial N0. 440,458

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for smoking and curing food products and more vparticularly to such apparatus for smoke curing land preserving of such perishables as hams, bacon, fish and other foods adapted to be smoke cured.

In the commercial smoke curing of such food products, it is desirable to provide a smokehouse which can be loaded with a large quantity of the food products hung or vsupported on `portable trees, racks or the like and in which a positive circulation of the air in the smokehouse is maintained. The temperature, relative humidity and smoke content ofthe air Aso circulated is controlled to effect the proper drying, curing and smoking of the food products. It is further desirable that the air so regulated as to temperature, humidity and smoke content be uniformly distributed through the food products in the smokehouse to n effect `the uniform drying, curing and smoking of the products regardless of their location in the smokehouse and thereby to obtain a uniform product of high quali-ty.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for introducing air of controlled temperature, relative humidity and smoke content into a smokehouse and for removing the air therefrom which Vinsures uniform dis tribution of the air to the food products loaded therein, thereby to obtain uniform drying, curing and smoking of the food products regardless of their location in the smokehouse and with a resultant product of uniform and improved quality.

Another object of the invention is to provide a smokehouse in which the'amount of ductwork required to effect such distribution of the conditioned air csn be reduced to a minimum, thereby to increase the amount of usable space and to increase the capacity of the smokehouse.

Another object of the invention is to provide a smokehouse in which overhead or ceiling duct# work can be eliminated thereby to permit of decreasing `the height of the smokehouse.

Another object is to provide such a smokehouse in which the distributing ducts can 'be arranged along the wall opposite the access doors yto the smokehouse, in which position there is the least interference with the loading, unloading or inspection of the products beingiprocessed.

Other objects are to provide such apparatus which is inexpensive .to construct and install and is readily accessible for repair or adjustment.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical section through a smokehouse embodying and adapted to carry out the present invention and showing, diagrammatically, an air conditioning unit for supplying and circulating air of the desired temperature, relative humidity and smoke content therethrough.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of the control instruments used in connection with the air conditioning unit to regulate the temperature, humidity and static pressure of the air within the smokehouse.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the smokehouse, taken on line 3 3, Fig. l.

Fig'. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section, through the air conditioning unit, .taken on line 4-4, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section, similar to Fig. 3, through a smokehouse having .the ductwork arranged in accordance with a modied form of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6-6, Figp.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 5 and showing a still further modified form of my invention.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section, taken on line 8-8, Fig. 7.

With particular reference to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-4, the smokehouse illustrated is of the insulated panel type of construction having side walls I0, II, a roof I2, a rear wall I3 and having a front wall providing an access door I4 which can be mounted in any suitable manner. The smokehouse is shown as adapted .to be loaded with two rows I5, I6 of trucks I'I, these trucks carrying the usual trees or racks (not shown) on which the foods to be smoke cured are hung or otherwise supported.

The rows I5 and I6 of the trucks are arranged' so as to leave a relatively narrow aisle or space I 8 between the row I5 of trucks and the side wall I0 of the smokehouse; an aisle or space I9 of similar width between the row I8 of trucks and the side wall II of the smokehouse; and a central, relatively wide aisle or space 20 between the two rows I 5 and I6 of the trucks and through which convenient access can be had to the trucks and to the products loaded thereon. The rows I5, I8 of the trucks extend fore and aft from the front access door I4 of the smokehouse to the rear wall I3 thereof, these rows being spaced, however, from the front wall or access door I4 oi' the smokehouse so as to leave a transverse space or aisle 2| between the front wall of the smokehouse and the front ends of the rows Il, I6 oi trucks, and these rows being also spaced from the rear wall I3 of the smokehouse so as to leave a transverse space or aisle 22 between the rear wall of the smokehouse and the rear ends of the rows I5, I6 of food products. It will therefore be seen that each row I5, I6 of trucks is surrounded on all four sides with a continuous or endless space and that the space between the two rows I and I6 is wider than the spaces between the other sides of each row of trucks and the corresponding wall of the smokehouse.

The smoke laden air is introduced into the smokehouse through a central supply duct 25 and two side supply ducts 26 and 21. The inlet end of each of these supply ducts'extends through the roof I2 of the smokehouse and each oi these ducts extends vertically downward against the rear wall I3 of the smokehouse and to the floor thereof. The central supply duct 25 is of approximately double the capacity of each of the side supply ducts 26, 21 and is arranged centrally of the space or aisle 26 and is provided with two vertical rows of nozzles 28, 29 which discharge the conditioned air horizontally forward into the central part of the aisle or space 26. Each of these rows of nozzles, as best shown in Fig. l, extends from approximately the floor level of the smokehouse to the level of the tops of the trucks I1 or other structures which carry the produce to be smoke cured. The side supply duct 261s arranged against the side wall I6'of the smokehouse and is provided with a vertical row of nozzles 36 which project horizontally forward to discharge the conditioned air along the side wall I6 of the smokehouse and into the side aisle or space I6. Similarly the side supply duct 21 is arranged against the side wall II of the smokehouse and is provided with a vertcal row of nozzles 3I which project horizontally forward to discharge the conditioned air along the side wall II of the smokehouse and into the side aisle or space I8. Each of the row of nozzles 36, 3| in the side supply ducts extends from the floor level to the same height as the rows of nozzles 28, 28 of the central supply duct 25.

Air is withdrawn from the smokehouse through a pair of return air ducts 35, 36, each of which extends upwardly short of the roof I2 of the smokehouse and being arranged against the rear wall I3 of the smokehouse. Each of these return air ducts 35, 36 is provided with a vertical row of outlet openings in its front wall, each opening having an adjustable slide or shutter 31. The return air duct 35 is in vertical central alinement with the row I5 of the trucks I1 which carry the produce to be smoked and similarly the return air duct 36 is in vertical central alinement with the row I6 of these trucks.

Air of the desired temperature, relative humidity and smoke content can be supplied through the supply ducts 25, 26 and 21 to the smokehouse, and withdrawn therefrom through the return air ducts 35 and 36 by any suitable apparatus, the unit air conditioning apparatus shown in the copending application for patent of Charles N. Deverall, Serial No. 349,618, flied August 2, 1940, issued February 9, 1943, as Patent No. 2,310,222, being suitable for this purpose and being generally constructed as follows:

This unitair conditioner comprises an enclosed vertical casing 46 arranged centrally of the rear wall I3 of the smokehouse and which is formed at its lower end to provide a drain pan provided with a drain 4I. The upper end of the casing 46 houses the scroll of a supply fan 42, the inlets of this scroll being in communication with the interior of the casing 46 and the outlet 43 of the scroll being connected by a central branch duct 44 with the upper end of the central supply duct 25 and by a pair of branch ducts 45 and 46 with the upper ends of the supply ducts 26 and 21, respectively. The branch ducts 44, 45 and 46 are all arranged above the roof I2 of the smokehouse and connect with the ends of the vertical ducts 25, 26 and`21 which project through the roof I2 of the smokehouse.

Adjacent the lower end of the supply fan 42 the casing 46 is provided with a smoke inlet pipe 48, this smoke pipe leading from the usual smoke pot (not shown) which supplies smoke for the operation of the smokehouse. The volume of smoke drawn into the unit through the smoke pipe 46 is controlled by dampers 49 in this pipe, these dampers being under the manual control of a hand lever 56. A plurality of volume control dampers 5I are provided directly below the supply fan 42, these dampers preferably being under manual control of a hand lever 52 and below these volume control dampers is arranged a heating coil 53.

vA supply chamber 54 is arranged below the heating coil 53, the lower wall of this supply chamber being formed by a horizontal baille plate 55, as best shown in Fig. 4, this horizontal baille plate being secured at its opposite ends to the front and rear walls of the casing 46 but being spaced from the side walls thereof so as to provide openings 56. Outside or fresh air is admitted to this supply chamber through an inlet 56 which is arranged in the front wall of the casing 46 and discharges outside air on top of the baille plate 55. To prevent bypassing of this outside air around and under the bale plate 55, this air inlet 58 is narrower in a horizontal direction than the baille plate 55, as illustrated in Fig. il. This outside air inlet 54 is connected to an outside air duct 56.

An exhaust chamber 66 is provided in the bottom of the casing 46 below the baille plate 55. In this exhaust chamber is arranged the scroll 6I of a static pressure fan, indicated generally at 62, this scroll having inlets at its opposite sides in communication with the exhaust chamber 66 and having its outlet 63 extending through the rear wall of the casing '46 and connected with an exhaust duct 64.

The return air from the smokehouse is introduced into the lower part of the casing 46 in such manner that a part of this return air is drawn into the supply chamber 54 and the balance is drawn into the exhaust chamber 66 to be discharged by the static pressure fan 62. For this purpose each side wall of the casing 46 is provided with a return air inlet 65, each of these inlets leading into the corresponding space 56 at each side of the baille plate so that the two inlets 65 are intersected by the plane of this baille plate 55, as best shown in Fig. 4. The inlets 65 are connected by a pair of ducts 66 with the central parts of the return ducts 35 and 3'6 of the smokehouse through the rear wall I3 thereof.

Referring to the diagrammatic representation of the control instruments used in connection with the air conditioning unit as above described to regulate the temperature, humidity and static pressure of the air within the smokehouse, the numeral 16 represents an air pressure supply line through which air is supplied at, say, 15 pounds pressure, to a static pressure regulator 1I, which can be arranged within the smokehouse, and to a double pen recording regulator 12. The numeral Tassa-12s 1.3 represents an automatic Water pan of'alwet bulb thermostatg'l4',A thev 'sensitivepart 4of` whichis encased with avcovering of absorbent materiali 5,

dry bulb thermostat 'I6v andthe autom'aticwater j pan can be arrangedin, one ofthe return airzducts 66v so thatthesensitive parts of the wet'and dry 'bulb thermostats 'aref responsive tothewet' and dry bulb temperature of the air within the smokehouse. f l .l The controly line 80 fromfthe drybulbtherm'ostat 16 leads to .the doublepenxrecording regulator 12 and' through thisl'regulator controlsthe-air 'pressure in aline 8|.` leading. toa diaphragm valve the'lower part ofwhichis immersed in thew'ater 'contained in the automatic Water pan` 13; lv'I'he 1 automatic Water panfis also arranged to supporta 82 Which'controls the'admissio'n' of steam'to the Aheating coil 53 in the central part of ythe casing 40. The control line 85 from the .wet' bulb' thermostat14 leads'to thedouble pen recording-regu'- lator 12 and through this'regulatorcontrols the air pressure in a line 86 leadi'ngtoy airnotor 88 controlling a set of dampers 89 in one or'bothof the return air 'ducts SBand .also leads to a motor 9!) controlling a set` of dampers 9| in the outsidelair duct 59. 'The Vmotors 88 and 9!work in opposition to each other, 'the change-in pressure in the line 86, under' control of thewet bulb thermostat'ld; actuating one of these' motors 4toppenA the corresponding set of dampers'and actuating thel other motor to close the corresponding' set rof dampers.

Thef outlet line 95 from 'the static-pressure regulator 1| controls a damper motorfwhich in turn controlsA a set of dampers 91fin1thelexhaust 'duct Forthe purpose of humidifyingthe air introduced into the smokehouse 'when required? for the processing of the foodsvtuffs'therein, asteam pipe f88y extends throughlthe side ofv thel casing i 40 and is arranged to discharge steam'` therein soas to humidify `thekair drawn -intothe supply fan 42. Also by arranging this steamv pipe to discharge into the lair before being drawn into'the Vv'supply'fan iflthe unit-'or ductwork catches on rire, this steam spray can be' employed to. choke the nre; The steamy supplied throughfthe-- pipe v98 is under control of a'diaphragmvalve 99`Which ,is connected with thecontrol line 86ffrom the double pen recording regulator 12. A

In the operation of the air conditioning unit smoke is supplied from a suitable smokel'potlnot shown) through theV smoke pipe 4-9'into thejupper part of the casing-40,"the admission of-the, smoke being Vunder manual control of the 'dampers T49 regulated by the hand lever 50. "This smoke is drawn into the supply fan 42 together with air The' .air i'sxwithdrawn fromy therv smokehouse charg'einto ,the spaces 56 -at the edgesof. the

baille plate`155 and hence a part'of this return .air enters -'thesupply chamber 54 above this baille plate and the other part'enters the exhaust chamber 60 below tlnsifplatel55. l'The exhaust chamrbers 'is exhausted :bythe-static pressure fan' `62'Y the'in'letsofwhich are arranged in this exhaust chamberfBU andthe-outlet of `which dis- .charges into .the exhaust duct,64,'this discharge 'being' undercontrol ofthe dampers 91.r

1 lf Outside air isalso 'drawn'into' the supply chamber'54. This outside airis/under control of the motor'o'perated dampers 9| in the fresh air duct 59`leading to the outside air inletopening-of 'this 4supply' chamber 554.A In order .to prevent short 'circuitingof thisoutside airto the exhaust 'cham- .ber 60,` thi's outside air is introduced immediately l rabove'the baille155 at itscenter andfparallel With its'major l'axis so thatthere is no danger of'this outside air-flowingdownthrough the openings 56 jat'the'sidesiof the baleplate 55 along with the yreturn air being" exhaustedfrom the unit, as pre- The outside air and the-returnair drawn into kthe rsupply chamber v54,' mixes and passes up through theheating coil 53 'and isheated thereby when heatis required in the smokehouse. This heated air is then drawn past 'the volume con- 40 ,In'the operationfof the smokehouse the static y 'trol dampers 5|fby the supply fan42, this heated air being-alsomixed with the smoke supplied through the smoke inlet48.

pressure regulator 1| is` set to maintain'a predetermined atnfiospheric` pressure Within the smokehouse. When the static pressure within the smokehouse departs from 'the setting of the static pressure regulator 1|, it :alters fthe pressure .inj its outletlin'e95 toopen or closethe dampersff91 intheexhaust 'duct64' through lthe medium of `the damper motor 196. VThe closing of'these damp`ers91 chokes 'off the quantity *ofl air relieved Ifrom the smokehouse and henceiincrea'ses the pressure of lthe air .within the smokehouse.

Conversely, the openingof these dampers villpermits `a less restricted discharge of theairnan'd hence decreases the pressure of the air vWithin the smokehouse. *f f -The temperature maintained within the smokehouse is regulated through a-suitableadjustment drawn from the lower part of the casing 40 under r control of the volume control dampers"5| which are' manually regulated by the handle #52. The

smoke laden air so ydrawn into the supply fan 42 is discharged from'the fan outlet 43-into ythe central-branch 44 leading to the central supply duct 25 'in the smokehouse and linto the -side branches 66 leading, respectively, tothe side supply ducts 2,6 and 21 in the smokehouse. This air is discharged forwardlyinto the aisles 18', `I9

and 20 by the nozzles on these supply ducts.' VThe setting of the `volume control dampers' 5| controls the amount of air which is'suppliedto the smokehouse; the velocity ofthe air sointroduced; and also, to a certain extent,'the density of the smoke in thisvair', this density being determined by the proportional-adjustment of these volume control vdampers 5| and the smoke-damper's 4E).

provided inthe double pen recording regulator 12. When the temperatureA Within thezsrnokehose drops below this setting, the dry bulbthermostat 1'6 in one ofthe return air ducts 266 actuates the ydouble pen recording regulator 12 toy 'adjust vthe pressure in its outlet/line llfltov openthe diaphragm valve 82 and admit an increased amount of steam to ther heating .coil 53, this in-` creased temperature of the heating coilrestoring the'temperature of the air Within-the smokehouse to the setting of the doublepen recording regulator. Conversely, a rise in temperature in the smokehouse 'above' the setting of the' double' pen recording regulator effects a shutting y,oifoi the diaphragm valve'82 Vand hence a decrease 'in the 4 ramount of steam admitted to the heating ,c.oil-.53.

The humidity; preferably the' absolute [humidity, maintained Within" the smokehouseisgregu 'lated through a suitable adjustment provided in the double pen recording regulator 12. When the humidity in the smokehouse rises above the setting of the double pen recording regulator 12, the wet bulb thermostat 14 in one of the outlet ducts 56 actuates the double pen' recording regulator 12 to adjust the air pressure in its outlet lin'e 86 toopen the dampers 9I in the outside air duct 59, through the medium of the damper motor 90, and at the same time to close the dampers 89 in the return air duct or ducts 66 through the medium of the damper motor 88. Thisv proportionate opening of the outside air dampers and closing of the return air dampers serves to admit a greater proportion of outside air and since the humidity of the outside air is always lower than the humidity maintained within the smokehouse, this opening ofthe outside dampers and closing of the return air dampers servesv to lower the humidity of the air within the smokehouse. Conversely, when the humidity inthe smokehouse `drops slightly below the setting of the double pen recording regulator 12, the wet bulb thermostat 14 actuates the double pen recordingregulator 12 to open the outside air dampers '9| and close n the return air dampers 89. Thus, the proportion of humid return air in the mixture delivered' to the smokehouse is increased and henceI the' low humidity therein restored to the setting of the double pen recording regulator 12. 1

If the humidity in the smokehouse drops below the capacity ofthe outside and return air dampers 9| and 89 to control, the wet bulb thermostat 14 actuates the double pen recording regulator 12 to adjust the air pressure in its outlet line 86 to open the diaphragm'valve 99 and admit steam to the pipe 98 discharging into the upper part of the casing 40 adjacent the supply fan 42, this steam thereby humidifying the mixed air drawn into this supply fan. This steam pipe 98,'as previously discussed, can also be used to extinguish res in the unit or in the ductwork in the smoke house. Y

The present invention is primarily concerned with ythe uniform circulation of the smoke laden air through the products on the trucks I1 in the smokehouse. To this end, in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-4, the row of nozzles 30 of the supply duct 26 extend from the floor the full height of the'trucks I1 and discharge horizontally forward into the center of the side aisle o r space I8. The smoke laden air so discharged by these nozzles 30 is therefore confined' between the side wall I0 of the smokehouse'and the row I5 of trucks so as to travel the full length of the aisle or space I 8 and strike the front wall or door I4 of the smokehouse. Since the adjacent return airv duct is located at the center of the row of trucks I1, the preponderance of the smoke laden air, after striking the front Wall I4, is deflected toward the center of the smokehouse and enters the front end of the row I5 of the trucks and travels the full length of this row of trucks back to the return air duct 35. A certain amount of the smoke laden air discharged from the nozzles 30 will, of course, bypass or short circuit 'through the side of the row I5 of trucks which forms the aisle I8, such short circuiting serving to further increase the uniformity of distribution of the conditioned air to the food products hung von the trucks of the row I5. Thus, if all of the conditioned air followed the path indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3, the products hung upon the front truck I1 of the row I5 would have the most favored treatment since this truck would rst be ,.2,-3eo;42s

'supplied with the conditioned air, the last truck receiving only air after its driving properties and smoke content had been partly spent. 'Ihis condition is avoided by the short circuiting of a 'part of the supplied air which occurs through the outer side of the row I5 of trucks and which insures a uniformsupply of freshly conditioned air to all of the trucks of this row. It will be understood that a balanced uniformity is achieved by adjusting the size of the nozzles 30 and the pressure of the air supplied.

The nozzles 3I of the opposite side supply duct 21 operate,'with reference to the side space or aisle I9 and the row I6 of trucks, in the same manner as the nozzles 30, as above described, with reference to the side space or aisle I8 and row I5 of trucks and hence this description is not repeated.

The central supply duct 25 is provided with two vertical rows 28 and 29 of nozzles which extend from the floor the full height of the trucks I1 and are forwardly directed so that these nozzles produce two forwardly moving vertical streams or sheets of air which flow side by side until reaching the front wall or door I4 of the smokehouse. Upon reaching this front wall, the stream of air' from the nozzles 28v is deected toward the side wall I0 of the smokehouse and so as to enter the -end of the row I5 of trucks to oW backwardly therethrough to the return duct 35 in the same manner as with the stream of air provided by the nozzles 30. Also, as with the stream of air provided by the nozzles 30, a part of the stream of air from the nozzles 28 short circuits or by-passesthrough the adjacent side of the row I 5 of trucks so as to provide uniform distribution of the air supplied to all the products on the row I5 ofv trucks. In the same manner, the stream of air from the nozzles 2 9, upon reaching the front wall I4 of the smokehouse, is deflected toward the side Wall I I of thevsmokehouse so as to enter the end of the row I6 of trucks to flow backwardly therethrough to the return duct 36 in the same manner as with the stream of air provided by the nozzles 3I. Also, as with the stream of air provided by the nozzles 3|, a part of the stream of air from the nozzles 29 short circuits through the adjacent side of the row I6 of trucks so as to provide uniform distribution of the air supplied to all the products on the row IS of trucks. z

In installing the system forming the subject of the present invention in smokehouses, yit frequently occurs that the smokehouse structure itself is in existence and it is necessary vto adapt the ductwork and the unit to the existing smokehouse structure. In so adapting the invention to smokehouses already in existence, it may be impossiblev to arrange the ductwork in the manner shown in Figs. l-4 and to meet such conditions the modied arrangements of the ductwork shown in Figs. 5-8 can be employed.

'In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown an arrangement in which the structure of the smokehouse is the same as that shown in Figs. l-4 and accordingly the same reference numerals have been employed. However, the smokehouse is shown as being narrower and longer than the smokehouse shown in Figs. 1 4` so that it is impossible to arrange the ductwork at the rear end wall of the smokehouse to discharge down side and center aisles. With the smokehouse as shown in Figs. 5-6 the trucks I1 are shown as arranged in three transverse rows |00, IOI `and |02 of two trucks each, these trucks being arranged so as-fto leave a comparatively narrow aisle` |03 between the row |00Vand the;v

front wall ordoor I4 ofthe smokehouse; a com-v paratively` narrow `aisle |04 between the rear wall I3 of the smokehouse. andthe rowr |02 of trucks; and comparativelyv Wide aisles |05 and |06 between the center row I0| of trucks and the branch ducts III, ||2,`I I3 and |114 each ofwhich construction as lthat` illustratedv in Figs. ,1-6, withy the ,exception that twok doors-I4 are provided inv the front wall of the smokehouse. j,v The trucks Il. are shown'as arranged individually., within' they smokehouse, threegtrucks being shown as arrangedateach sidegof` the smokehousewithv ay -1 space or aisle between the rear .wall ,I3-of the smokehouse and the reartruck- Il; spaces or` aisles |3I vand, |32 between the center truck v and the rear and iront trucks,- respectively;y and a spacexor aisle |33 between each front door I4 and the, corresponding front truck 'I Il.;V Each .of

y the vtrucks I1 is also spaced fromthe'correspond-v,

extends downwardly toa point closefto the floor y of the' smokehouse. Each ofthesevertical branch ducts is shown as provided with a verticalseries of nozzles ||5, each' of these series of nozzles I|5 extending substantiallyy the. full height of` theV trucks The nozzles from the branch duct II I ,discharge into the 'corresponding ,endor the aisle |03 between the row |00 of trucks and the front wall or door ofthe smokehouse, The nozzlesl of .the branch ductfI I2 discharge intofthe corresponding .end of the aisle |05 between the rows I00and |0|of trucks.y Thenczzles of the branchduct I|3 discharge into the corresponding |02 of the trucks ,and thenozzles of the branch duct II4 discharge into thev corresponding end of the aisle |04 between the rear wall I3 ofthe smokehouseand ther row i I 02' of trucks therein.

ing, Side well. Qfthe smokehouse. S0 -lasioleaveanf aisle crfspaceuI34. i` n 'v The smokeA laden air is introduced through'. a ceiling duct |35 which extends' centrally of the smokehouse the full length thereof'.A i The supply duct is providedwith vertical branch ducts |36 |31,` |38 and |30', each of which extends downwardly from the horizontal supply duct` |35 in `line .with the rcorresponding aisle `-|30, |3I, |32

The return air duct. |20vis's`hlown'as arranged along the oor of the `smokehouse and as arranged directly under and vparallel with the sup,- ply duct III). YThis return air duct leads tothe air conditioning unit in'the same manner as the return air ducts 66in .the A*form of thev invention lshown in Figs. 1-4. ,This returnair duct is shown as having three vertical vbranches v|2I, |22 and |23; 'each of which extends the run height of the trucks I'| and'is provided with a .vertical'series of openings |24. 'The branch duct |2| is arranged A in line with ytherow '|00 of trucks. The "branch duct I22"is arranged inline with the row I0| of trucks and the branch duct' |23 lis shown as are ranged in line with the row|02 ofv trucks.

It.' will be seen that the uniform distribution of the smoke laden air to theproducts carried by the` trucks'IIis accomplishedin the form Yof the invention shown in Figs. 5 and in the same manner as is shown in Figs., 14. Thus, ythe smoke laden air discharged by the nozzles I5 is confinedv by the corresponding aisle so as to travel the'full length of the aisle andstrike the opposite side' Wall' of'thesmokehouse. Since the branches of the return air duct |20 are located at "the centers of the rows of trucks thepre'- ponderance of thehsmoke laden air after striking this opposite sidewall of the smokehouse is'deected laterallyand travels the fullA length of the correspondingr row of trucks )back to the correspondingf branch of the returnair duct '120. l A certain amount of the smoke laden air discharged from the nozzles II5wlll, of course, bypass or short circuit through the sides of the rows of trucks, such short circuiting servingto further increase the uniformity of distribution of the conditioned air to the food products hung on the trucks I'I. v

In Figs. '7 and carrying out the present invention. In this form and |33'. Flach of these branch ducts is provided' onits opposite vsideswith a rowof horizontal nozzles |40 'which discharge the smoke ladenr air horizontally into the corresponding aisle and against thefcorrespon'ding sidewall I Uor I I ofthe smokehouses* The return air duct '|45 is shown'as arrangedv on thel floor ofthe smokehouse directly under the supply duct |35 and 'extending substantially the fulllength of the smokehouse. vThis return air duct is 'shown as provided with three vertical branchesr |46, |4`| and |48 which extend upwardlly intermediate 'the branches of the supply duct |35; Ori its'opposite sides each of the .branches of jth'ereturnair duct"|45" i's provided with an opening |50, thesey openings bein-g' arranged fin a vertical'series in each branch and extending substantially the fullheight of the/branch.r "Each of with a corresponding truck Handit will therefore be'fseen that the smoke laden air discharged byeach'of thev nozzles |40 into'the center 0f the corresponding aisle is deflectedjby the corresponding side wall'of the smokehouse so as'to return through fthe correspondingxtruck to the outlet, openings |50 of the branches of the return airduct|45."- y f From the foregoing it will be seen thatnthe present invention provides a method Yand appara-` tusforzuniformly distributing* conditioned and smoke :ladenair to all of the foodproducts contained `within a smokehouse, thereby toimprove the uniformityl andquality ofthe productl andl to permitf of; more exact control of the processing. Itfwillfurtherbe seen that all overheadjductwork canbe avoidedthereby to-vpermit of reducing the height of-the smokehouse and that a relatively small'amountof du'ctwork can be provided along f inspecting they products in the smokehouse.

8 is shownv another arrangey 'ment of the duct-work which can be employed in I claim as my invention: 1.' Ina combination'of apparatus for smokin food products, means forming a smokehouse enclosure having side walls defining an area ofr substantial horizontal extent and having a low ceiling providing low head room in the enclosure, holders supporting the food products in said enclosure and arranged in atleast one row to provide aisles along the opposite sides of said food products, air propelling means for delivering a -stream of air to said enclosure, a heating elef ment in said stream of air delivered to said enclosure by said air propelling means to heat said stream of air to a desired temperature, means for adding usmoke to said stream of air prior to its delivery to said enclosure, means at the corresponding ends of said aisles for discharging said stream of smoke laden, heated air in a plurality of superposed streams directed horizontally into and lengthwise of each of said aisles, an outlet duct communicating with said enclosure and arranged between said aisles at the end of said row adjacent said corresponding ends of said aisles for withdrawing said smoke laden air from said enclosure, and means for adjusting the eiective temperature of said heating element to adjust the temperature of the stream of air so delivered to said enclosure.

2. In a combination of apparatus for smoking food products, means forming a smokehouse enclosure having side walls defining an area of substantial extent and having a low ceiling providing low head room in the enclosure, holders supporting a quantity of the food products and arranged in rows of substantial length, height and breadth in said enclosure with aisles arranged along the opposite longitudinal sides thereof, air propelling means delivering a stream of air to said enclosure, a heating element in said stream of air delivered to said enclosure to heat said stream of air to a desired temperature, means for adding smoke to said stream of air prior to its delivery to said enclosure, a vertical supply ductl arranged adjacent one wall of said enclosure in the same end of each of said aisles and receiving said smoke laden, heated stream of air, a vertical row of horizontal nozzles mounted on each of said supply ducts and discharging the stream of smoke laden air in the same' direction in a plurality of streams directed lengthwise into said aisles'and alongside said row of food products, a vertical return air duct arranged between saidsupply ducts adjacent said one wall of said enclosure and in line with the row of food products, a vertical row of openings in said return air duct,"means for discharging the smoke laden air received by said return duct from said enclosure and means for adjusting the effective temperatureof said heating element to adjust the temperature of the air delivered to said en,- closure.

3. In a combination of apparatus for smoking food products, means forming a smoke house enclosure of substantial horizontal area, holders supporting a quantity of the food products and arranged in at least one row of substantial length, height and breadth insaid enclosure with aisles arranged along the opposite longitudinal sides thereof, air propelling means delivering air to said enclosure, a heating element in the stream of air delivered to said enclosure by said air propeiling means to heat said stream of air to a desiredv temperature, means for adding smoke to said stream of air prior to its delivery to said enclosure, means at the same end of each f said aisles for discharging said stream of smoke laden, heated air in the same direction in a plurality of superposed streams directed horizontally into and lengthwise of said aisles and toward the opposite end wall of said enclosure, said streams of smoke laden air impinging against said opposite end wall of said enclosure and said opposite end wall of said-enclosure being arranged adjacent the corresponding end of said row whereby the smoke laden air is caused to enter said row of food products 'from the sides'thereof along the full length of said aisle and also from the end thereof adjacent said opposite end wall, an outlet communicating with said enclosure and arranged between said aisles and in line with said row of products and vadjacent said smoke laden air discharging means whereby the smoke laden air so drawn into the food products from the sides and opposite end of said row are withdrawn from said enclosure, and means for adjusting the eiTective temperature of said heating element to adjust the temperature of the air delivered to said enclosure.

4. In a combination of apparatus for smoking food products, means forming a smokehouse enclosure of substantial horizontal area, holders supporting a quantity of the food products and arranged in at least on'e row of substantial length, height and breadth in said enclosure with aisles arranged along the opposite longitudinal sides thereof, air propelling means delivering air to said enclosure, a heating element in the stream of air delivered to said enclosure by said air propelling means to heat said stream of air to a desired temperature, means for adding smoke to said stream of air prior to its delivery to said enclosure, a vertical supply duct arranged adjacent one wall of said enclosure and at the same end of each of said aisles and receiving said smoke laden, heated stream of air,- a vertical row of horizontal nozzles mounted on each of said supply ducts and discharging the stream of smoke laden air in the same direction in a plurality of superposed streams directed horizontally into and lengthwise of said aisles and toward the opposite laden air impinging against said opposite wall of f said enclosure'andl saidopposite wall of said enclosure being arranged adjacent the corresponding end of said row whereby the smoke laden air is'- caused to enter said row of food products from the sides thereof along the full length of said aisle and also from the end thereof adjacent said opposite Wall, a vertical return duct arranged between said supply ducts adjacent said one wall of said enclosure andin line with the row of products, a vertical row of openings in said return duct whereby the smoke laden air so drawn into the food products from the sides and opposite end of said row are withdrawn from said enclosure, means for discharging the smoke laden air received by said return air duct from said enclosure, and means for adjusting the effective temperature of said heating element to adjust the temperature of the air delivered tolsaid enclosure.

OLIVER F. GILLIAM. 

